Steam-engine.



E. J. ARMSTRONG.

STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANDdR'APH C0., WASHINaTcN, n. c.

E. J. ARMSTRONG.

- STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.20. 1915.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i i s n EDWIN J'. ARMSTRONG, F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 BALL ENGINE COMPANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t DQC. 1, 1915.

Application filed January 20, 1915. Serial No. 3,369.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN J. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam engines and consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

More particularly the invention is adapted to a reversing engine especially where they are used in couples for driving excavating machinery or similar devices, such for instance as steam shovels and the engine 2 hereinafter illustrated as exemplifying the invention is especiallydesigned for this use.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawlngs as follows:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of'the engine, the controlling valve cover being removed to better show construction. Fig. 2 an elevation of the engine. Fig. 3 av section on the line 33 in Fig. 4. Fig. 1 a section on the lines H in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Fig. 5 an end elevation of the cylinder and steam chest, the cover being removed. Fig. 6 a section on the line 6 6 in Fig. 7. Fig. 7 acentral section through the engine cylinder on the lines-7-7 in Figs. 5 and 8. Fig. 8 a side elevation of the steam chest with thecover removed and a section of the steam passage leadingto the steam chest.

1 marks the'engine frame, 2 the'crank shafts, 3 crank bearings, & the cranks, 5 the connecting rods, 6 the engine cylinders, 7

the steam chests, 8 the valve rods, 9 the eccentric rods and 10 the eccentrics. These may be of any desirable construction. A. drum 11 is carried by the frame. It isprovided with the gear 12 which is adapted to be driven by :the gear 13 on the crank shaft 2. These parts are supplied with the usual controlling mechanism some of which are outlined but all of which maybe of any com mon or desired construction. I

y -The engines have the pistons 6 with the piston rods 6 connecting to-the connecting rods 5' (see Fig.7). Ports l i and-15 respec- ,tively extend'from the ends of the cylinder to the steam chest. Steamand exhaustpassages l6 and 17 also lead to1 the steam chest "through the valve surface of the-chest,- the passage 17 being between the ports 14 and 15 and the passage 16 at the end. The valve 18 has the central port 19 and the outer port 20, the outer port 20 having an extension 21.

This valve is of ordinary construction and Heretofore the passages 16 and 17 have been connected up to a controlling valve by a series of pipes. This complicates the mechanism. One of the objects of this invention is to simplify these connections and the mounting of the controlling valve. It

,is also desirable to admit steam to the steam chests so as to hold the valve 18 to its seat. It is also desirable to provide for this by passages leading to the same source of supply. It is also desirable to utilize this passageplate so as to tie the engines together and as a refinement of this construction to utilize this plate as a cover for the cylinder. In the present instance the passage plate 23 extends from the end of the steam chest of one of the units of the engine to the-steam chest of the other unit and has formed integrally with it the cylinder covers 24.

The passages 16 and 17 extend to the end of the steam chest and here register with the connecting plate passages 16 and 17 respectively. These short connecting passages 16 and 17 a lead to the horizontal passages 16 and 17 respectively. .The pas sages16 and 17 lead to the controlling valve chest 25 being'connected with the valve surface of said chest by the ports 16 and 17 sage 22 in the passage plate 23 registersv with the passage 22 and leads to the horizontal passage 22*. The horizontal passage 22 leads to the controlling valve chest and at the sides of the valve. The passages 22*, however, are not controlled by the controlling-valve so that whenever steam is in the steam chest 25 it is conveyed to the steam chest of the engine and thus assures pres sure onthe engine valve. Thecontrolling valve chest has the valve surface 26 through which the ports 16 and 17 lead. It is also provided with an exhaustport '27' arranged between the ports 16 and 17. The exhaust port leads by way of a passage 28 formed in the passage plate to the side of the controlling valve chest or the exhaust may lead to any point desired. The controlling valve 31 is of the D valve type and has the central valve passage or port 32, this port being of sufficient length to couple either the port 16 or 17 with the exhaust port 27. At the same time the ends of the valve are of such length as to uncover one of the ports 16 or 17 when the other of said ports is in com- I munication with the exhaust port. By this versing engine.

any convenient source of control.

means it will be readily observed that steam may be delivered through the action of the controlling valve to either the passage 16 or the passage 17 as desired and the exhaust port will at the same time be connected with the other of said passages. The engine can be reversed, therefore, in this manner. This is a common method of reversing used in re- The controlling valve has the controlling valve rod33 which leads to With this construction it will port for the controlling valve chest the room required for the passages is less than where vthey are formed in separate units so that the parts of the engine are more accessible. The plate itself may be utilized as a tie plate between the engines so asto'strengthen and solidify the engine construction. The means of connection with the'steam chest maybe all accomplished with one joint and where the plate is extended to the cover of the cylinderthi's one plate may complete the joint between the passages and the steam chest.

between the cylinder and its cover as well as l/Vhat I claim as new is l.-In a steam engine, the combination of a cylinder; a steam chest having ports leading to'the cylinder; a plurality of steam chestpas'sages leading to the steam chest and extending to the end of the steam chest;

an engine valve in the steam chest operating gine, reversing the engine as the steam inlet.

on said ports and steam ch'est passages to 'control the movement of steamto the enis changed from one passage to another; a

passage plate mounted on the end ofthe "steam chest said plate having plate passages connecting with the steam chest passages; a controll ng valve chest on the plate to which the plate passages lead; anda con trolling valve in said controlling valve chest. In a steam engine, the combmatlon of a cylinder; a steam chest having ports leading to the cylinder; a. plurality. of steam chest passa-ges'leading to the steam chest and extending to the endof the steam chest; an Jenginevalve in the steam chest operating fonsaid ports and steam V chest passages to v be observed that all the passages are contained in one casting. The passage plate forming a supcontrol the movement of steam to the engine, reversing the engine as thesteam inlet is changed from one passage to another; a passage plate mountedjon the end-of the steam chest, said plate having plate passages connecting with the steam chest passages; a

controlling valve chest on the'plate to which the plate passages lead; a controlling valve,

versing the engine as the steam inlets are changed with relation to the steam chest passages; a passage plate extending from one steam chest to the other andhaving 1 plate passages connected "with said steam chest passages, said. passage plate forming 21 1318 plate betweenthe engines; a controlling valve-chest on the passage plate to which theplate passages lead; a controlling. valve ln'SalCl controlling valve chest; and cylinder. covers 'formed on said passage 7 plate. T

4. In a steamengine, the combination of a cylinder ;a steam chest having ports lead ing to the cylinder; a plurality of steam chestpassages leading to the steam chest;

anda pressure passage leading to the steam che'st;-an engmevalve in the steam chest operating on' saidpor'ts and steam'chestpassages to control the movement of steam to the engine, reversing the engine as the steam mlet is changed from one passage to another; a passage plate having'plate passages connecting with said steam ChQStflJQS sages and said pressure passage; a controlling valve' chest "on the plate to which-the plate passages lead; and a controlling valve in said controlling valve'chest.

.-5. In a steam engineythecombination of two cylinders; steam chests on sai'd 'cylinders," each chest having ports-leading to its cylinder and a plurality of-steam chest passages leading to thesteaml chest; pressure p passages, one'for each steam chestleading to said steam chests; engine valves Bl the steamehests operating on said ports and steam chest passages to control the movement of steam to the cylinders reversing the engine as the steam inlets are changed with relation to the steam chest passages; -a passage plate having plate passagesconnecting -with' saidfstea'm chest passages and 'pres sure passages; a "controlling valve; chest onl the plate-to wh'ic'h the plate 'passageslead; and a controlling valve in said controlling valve chest; I T q :6. afsteamengine, the combinationoff two cylinders; steam chests on said cylinders having ports leading to theicylinders; a plurality of steam passages leading to the steam chest; and a pressure passage leading to the steam chest; an engine valvein the steam chest operating on said ports and steam chest passages to control the movement of steam to the engine reversing the engine as the steam inlet is changed from one passage to another; a passage plate having three plate passages therein connecting with the steam chestpassages and with the pressure passage; a controlling Valve chest formed with the plate and to which said passages lead,. having an exhaust passage leading from said chest; and a controlling valve in the chest and controlling the plate passagesleading to the steam chest passages and the exhaust passage in the con-- P trolling valve chest, said valve operating in connection with said controlling valve chest passages to reverse the direction of steam in the steam chest passages to reverse the engine.

7. In a steam engine; the combination of two cylinders; steam chests on said cylinders having ports leading to the cylinders; a plurality of steam passages leadlng to the steam chest; and a pressure passage leading to the steam chest; an engine valve in the steam chest operating on said ports and ing three plate passages therein connecting with the steam chest passages and with the pressure passage; a controlling valve chest formed With the plate and to which said passages lead, having an exhaust passage leading from said chest; a controlling valve in the chest and controlling the plate passages leading to the steam chest passages and the exhaust passage in the controlling valve chest, said valve operating in connection with said controlling valve chest passages to reverse the direction of steam in the steam chest passages to reverse the engine; and cylinder covers formed with said passage plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN J. ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses V. C. Hnss, B. M. HARTMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

